Sunday, June 19, 2011
Out With the Old, In With the New
After deciding to get some new couches this spring, we're finally enjoying our new seating! The old, faithful blue couches we've had for almost 13 years were getting too saggy and uncomfortable to sit on. Of course, as most home projects go, a decision to get new couches evolved into painting the living room, hallway, and kitchen, getting new lamps, end tables and curtains, and a few other decorations. It's been a lot of fun freshening things up around here!
Pismo Beach Getaway
So, while the kids were camping with Jason and Ashley this weekend, Scott and I got to enjoy (another!) very nice getaway to Pismo Beach. We had a lot of fun at a wonderful wedding for a former student/family friend. (sorry, no wedding pics!) On Sunday morning we enjoyed the annual Father's Day car show in Pismo Beach. 
We were impressed with the detail in the hood of this Cadillac.
"1.21 jigawatts!" (What movie is this from?)
We were impressed with the detail in the hood of this Cadillac.
"1.21 jigawatts!" (What movie is this from?)Kicking off Summer
Although we've been enjoying lots of fun summer activities and the summer schedule for a month already, the weather is just now starting to feel like summer. We've really been blessed to enjoy an unseasonably cool, wet spring. Besides having my parents here for 2 weeks, here are a couple of the other fun things we've been doing so far this summer.
Backyard camping -- we actually set the tent up in the backyard a week ago when the kids' were having our good friends from across the street overnight. But it was so much fun having the tent in the backyard -- it was like having a little fort, that we kept it up for a few days. The kids enjoyed sleeping in the tent a couple of nights.
I'm sure you can guess who is sleeping in the princess sleeping bag! The kids actually got to go camping in the mountains this weekend with Uncle Jason and Aunt Ashley -- what a treat for them and us!!!
The Visalia library has some good events scheduled for their summer library program. Last week we went to see a marionette show of "The Frog Prince".
The show was really good. It was just long enough to tell the story without being too long and losing the kids' attention.
Backyard camping -- we actually set the tent up in the backyard a week ago when the kids' were having our good friends from across the street overnight. But it was so much fun having the tent in the backyard -- it was like having a little fort, that we kept it up for a few days. The kids enjoyed sleeping in the tent a couple of nights.
I'm sure you can guess who is sleeping in the princess sleeping bag! The kids actually got to go camping in the mountains this weekend with Uncle Jason and Aunt Ashley -- what a treat for them and us!!!
The Visalia library has some good events scheduled for their summer library program. Last week we went to see a marionette show of "The Frog Prince". 
The show was really good. It was just long enough to tell the story without being too long and losing the kids' attention. Wednesday, June 15, 2011
7-year-old Birthday Boy
My, my, my, how time does fly. Here he is, our oldest child, 7 years old. How does that happen so quickly! To start this post, we'll take a trip down memory lane and see what Daniel looked like on his birthday for the past 7 years.
7 years old
6 years old
5 years old
4 years old
3 years old
2 years old
1 year old
birth -- Kids sure do change a lot in their first few years of life!
Well, to celebrate Daniel's 7 birthday this year, he wanted to go bowling. So we headed to the bowling alley with Grandma and Grandpa, Scott met us during his lunch break, and we had a lot of fun bowling with the family. I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but Daniel's style of bowling was the same as the approach he takes in life -- a lot of speed, intensity, and purpose. Technique be darned... from the second he picked up his ball, he wanted to get it down the alley as fast as possible.
And then there's Calvin... his style of bowling also reflected his personality a bit. Calvin does things at his own speed, in his own time, and with his own style. He would pick the ball up from the rack and sit and hold it in his lap until it was his turn to bowl again. Then, he would meander up to the alley, and slowly push the ball down the lane. There were a few times I thought the ball would stop before it got to the pins.
The bowling alley's automatic score-keeper also kept track of the ball's mph. This is one of Calvin's faster speeds... several of his balls were in the 1 mph range.
Keeping with the bowling theme, I made Daniel a bowling lane birthday cake this year.
So nice to get to celebrate a birthday with Grandma and Grandpa!
Yum!
Opening fun new presents -- a kit for making your own bouncy balls -- thanks Aunt Laura and Uncle Aron!
Football cards and $ from Grandma and Grandpa Kostelyk -- Thanks!
And a speedometer/odometer to go on Daniel's new bike from Grandma and Grandpa Pausma.
And his new bike -- he really had outgrown the 16-inch bike he got for his 3rd birthday. Happy birthday to our dear son!
7 years old
6 years old
5 years old
4 years old
3 years old
2 years old
1 year old
birth -- Kids sure do change a lot in their first few years of life!
Well, to celebrate Daniel's 7 birthday this year, he wanted to go bowling. So we headed to the bowling alley with Grandma and Grandpa, Scott met us during his lunch break, and we had a lot of fun bowling with the family. I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but Daniel's style of bowling was the same as the approach he takes in life -- a lot of speed, intensity, and purpose. Technique be darned... from the second he picked up his ball, he wanted to get it down the alley as fast as possible. 
And then there's Calvin... his style of bowling also reflected his personality a bit. Calvin does things at his own speed, in his own time, and with his own style. He would pick the ball up from the rack and sit and hold it in his lap until it was his turn to bowl again. Then, he would meander up to the alley, and slowly push the ball down the lane. There were a few times I thought the ball would stop before it got to the pins. 
The bowling alley's automatic score-keeper also kept track of the ball's mph. This is one of Calvin's faster speeds... several of his balls were in the 1 mph range. 
Keeping with the bowling theme, I made Daniel a bowling lane birthday cake this year.
So nice to get to celebrate a birthday with Grandma and Grandpa!
Yum!
Opening fun new presents -- a kit for making your own bouncy balls -- thanks Aunt Laura and Uncle Aron!
Football cards and $ from Grandma and Grandpa Kostelyk -- Thanks!
And a speedometer/odometer to go on Daniel's new bike from Grandma and Grandpa Pausma. 
And his new bike -- he really had outgrown the 16-inch bike he got for his 3rd birthday. Happy birthday to our dear son!Incredible Yosemite
On the last weekend my parents were here, we were planning a camping trip to the coast. But thanks to the cool, rainy weather that was predicted (we're not complaining, though!) we decided to cancel our camping trip. Instead, we drove up to Yosemite and spent a day enjoying the incredible waterfalls and scenery. We were a little concerned that we might have rain there, too, but the weather turned out great and we had such a wonderful day! 
At Bridalveil Falls, the mist was so heavy that we all donned the rain gear we had taken along (just in case it rained) to walk the brief trail to the base of the falls.
Scott thought this picture would be hilarious. Doesn't it really look like I'm trying to drink the waterfall?! :)
This is lunch with a view!
Another amazing view
After lunch we hiked to the base of Vernal Falls, which was about 3 miles (round trip). Daniel and Ashley are enjoying the rushing river.
The kids played one of their favorite "games" along the hike to the falls and back: "hide and surprise". They're really quite cute -- at this stage in life they really think they can hide from us by running 50 yards ahead and hiding behind a big rock. :)
One of Daniel's hiding spots
Kiddos getting tired
Loving Grandma and Grandpa
Amazing!
And the famous Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls.
Even though we didn't get to spend the weekend camping, we are very thankful to have spent a wonderful day together enjoying one of the most amazing places in God's world.
At Bridalveil Falls, the mist was so heavy that we all donned the rain gear we had taken along (just in case it rained) to walk the brief trail to the base of the falls.
Scott thought this picture would be hilarious. Doesn't it really look like I'm trying to drink the waterfall?! :)
This is lunch with a view!
Another amazing view
After lunch we hiked to the base of Vernal Falls, which was about 3 miles (round trip). Daniel and Ashley are enjoying the rushing river.
The kids played one of their favorite "games" along the hike to the falls and back: "hide and surprise". They're really quite cute -- at this stage in life they really think they can hide from us by running 50 yards ahead and hiding behind a big rock. :)
One of Daniel's hiding spots
Kiddos getting tired
Loving Grandma and Grandpa
Amazing!
And the famous Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. 
Even though we didn't get to spend the weekend camping, we are very thankful to have spent a wonderful day together enjoying one of the most amazing places in God's world.
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